Enchi X Normal, dropped only 4 eggers!

Mystic X Pastel! Big mamma 4000g dropping her eggs a day early on 5/11 bred to my Mystic! Hoping for a few hold back Pastel Mystics out of this one!

Lesser Pastel/KingPin X Spider clutch dropped 5/14, 7 nice pearly whites!

Firefly/LemonBlast X Bee clutch dropped 5/19:

I’ll be posting most of the clutches laid this year on this blog post to keep it in order. Expecting 5 clutches due in May and hope to see 2-4 clutches drop in June/July/Aug/Sept/Oct.

Thanks for looking and hope everyone else is having a great year!
Gerry

Simple answer is, there is no right or wrong, or one simple answer. It all depends on what you are using it for, your individual space (environment, ambient, humidity needs, etc, etc), and also personal preference of yours and the individual animal. In this case Ball Pythons, some could care less what they are on, some seem to do better on Shredded Aspen, some better on Cypress Mulch, etc. Me personally I prefer if possible a paper substrate like Kraft Indented Paper or un-printed newspaper for ease of cleaning, but again it’s not just what YOU want, but you need to take into consideration and pay attention to what your snakes needs are.

For this write up we will touch base on four substrates:
Kraft Indented Paper
Cypress Mulch
Shredded Aspen
Sanichips

Kraft Indented Paper:
We’ll start out with my personal preference, which is the paper substrate Kraft Indented Paper. I prefer a paper substrate because I’m not much for spot cleaning. Spot cleaning is when you spot clean your enclosures as needed, the snake poops and you clean that area only. I prefer to clean and sanitize the entire enclosure with each incident because snakes have a tendency to spread urates and other messes around at times. Simply treating an area does not at times guarantee a clean environment for your snakes. I use Kraft paper mainly for my CB70 tubs whenever possible.

Positives:
Easy clean up.
Depending on personal preference requires entire enclosure cleaning at each incident.

Negatives:
Does not lend itself to providing humidity well as other substrates.
depending on personal preference requires entire enclosure cleaning at each incident.

Purchased:
www.uline.com
Cost appx $21/360ft roll

Cypress Mulch:
Cypress Mulch is a popular one, especially if you need a little assistance with maintaining humidity. I tend to use Cypress Mulch during the colder/dryer months and I’m using a room heater which tends to dry out the air, or any time I need or want a little more humidity during sheds. Cypress Mulch holds water and releases humidity much better and longer than the other substrates being listed here.

Positives:
Assist when you need a little more humidity based on your needs.
Allows for spot cleaning if that is your preference.

Negatives:
Could be too much humidity if and when you don’t need it.

Purchased:
Home Depot, Lowes, Wal-Mart in the gardening area.
Cost $2.00 for a large bag.

Shredded Aspen:
Shredded Aspen is a favorite bedding of mine, especially for babies and sub-adults. This is the substrate I mainly use for my Ball pythons. Babies seems to start better on aspen vs paper at times. Shredded Aspen does lend itself to spot cleaning, but I prefer to dump it and clean/sanitize the tub with each incident as needed. It’s really a good overall bedding and while you can mist it during sheds if needed, it does tend to mold if wet too much or too often. If you need higher humidity, Cypress Mulch is better for you. You may have read about snakes possibly ingesting the Aspen and that being a concern. Can it happen, sure. Can you get hit by lightening walking outside, sure. It can happen, not saying it can’t, but it’s not something I would lay awake worried about. Snakes have been kept on aspen for decades and incidents leading to problems are very-very rare. Again, I would not lose sleep over this.

Positives:
Easy to clean, nice soft bedding.

Negatives:
Does not hold humidity well, tends to mold if wet, some brands very high in dust.

Purchase:
Depends on brands and locations, I use Harlan Shredded Aspen 9cu ft bag at a cost of $16.00/bag.
Cost depends on brand and location but expect $5-$20 a bag.

Sani-Chips:
One product I have read about for years has been Sani-Chips. Which is basically Aspen cut into small very fine squares. For many years I have read and heard from others that have and so use it and some love it, some hate it mainly because it tends to get everywhere. I have just started to try this product personally and will be able to provide my personal experience on it in time. Sani-Chips are very fine, almost feels like sand a bit, very soft. Same positives and negatives as Shredded Aspen, except if the rare possibility of ingesting Shredded aspen is too much for you, than Sani-Chips is a better option for you. I decided to try it because many times I have been asked about it and up until now could only provide info based on feedback from others. I have set aside a hatchling and sub-adult rack to try out the Sani-Chips for 3MO and will provide further feedback at that time.

Close up shot:

Positives:
TBD

Negatives:
TBD, but so far I can already see the cost is more per usage vs shredded aspen. I can also see the potential for the chips to be pulled into the vents, especially when breeding, potential for infections is an area for concern. But again, how possible or often is this a concern is unknown. Based on this I don’t see myself using the Sani-Chips, but we we’ll see.

Purchase:
Varies, but I use the Harlan brand and cost is appx $16/bag of 2.2 cu ft.

Next we have a Enchi X Normal female. We will be pairing up our Enchi male with a few girls this year, hoping to hold back quite a few Enchi and Enchi combo females.

Here we have a Mystic X Mojave, hope to get a few of these pairings this year and hope to see a few Potions!

Mystic X Normal #05, Mystic X Normal, struck out on Mystics this year, but hopefully the Ball Gods will make it up to me next year! Got a few Mystic and Mystic combos in the works for 2012!

Clown X BEL (Super Lesser), can’t wait to have the ground set for Lesser Clowns and other Clown projects!

Looks like my Ivory kicked in already, sometimes all it takes is the right girl and patience. Hopefully now I can start pairing him up with other girls, mojave, bee, pastel. Looking forward to adding more YB genes to the collection!!

Bee X Lesser, going to pair this girl with my Enchi mainly, but tossing in my Bee as well to mix it up a bit. Hoping to get a QueenBee next year out of one of my Lesser girls!

Pastel Lesser X Spider! Hoping/Hoping 2012 to hit on a QueenBee!

BumbleeBee X Pinstrip! This is another triple banger I have missed on before that I hope to hit on in 2012! SpinnerBlasts!

Ivory X BumbleBee, hoping for a BumbleBelly!

Mystic X Mojave #02, this is my 2nd pair of Mystic/Mojo shooting for Potions.

Bee X Calico, hoping to run my Firefly through this girl also and see what takes.

Firefly X Mojave! Can’t wait to hatch out a Firefly Mojave and then shoot for Firefly Potion!

Clown X Lesser! Crossing my fingers for a few Lesser Het Clowns!

Spider Het Albino X Albino! Hoping for some Albino Spiders!

Super Vanilla X Mojave!

Bee X Lesser #2

Firefly X Mojo:

LemonBlast X Bee:

Ivory X Pastel:

Ivory X Bee:

Enchi X Mojo:

Enchi X BEL (Super Lesser):

We have more pairs going, just need to upload pics.

My Special Male

Pastel Crystal – Tom Baker

Super Special – Tom Baker

Planned on taking more pics, but unfortunately the battery in my good SLR camera was not charged and had to make due with my old digital camera. I’ll make sure and next time to charge the batteries the night before!

Entrance to the show shot.

Over the top half shot.

Joe and Annette from Ace of Snakes and me.

Big Mamma!

 

Many breeders think of 1500g as be the golden weight where all the magic happens. I for one prefer my girls with a bit more age and size to them. As a friend of mine put it, when you breed boas you learn patience. Female boas will not be ready to breed for 3-4yrs and you know this from day one. No rushing it, just feed and be patient. With Balls, everything and everyone is in such a rush to 1500g and eggs whether it be because of racing to be first on a project, or fear of prices coming down and what losing a year will cost them, or because it’s just what they have been told or read somewhere.

There are two schools of thought in breeding ball pythons, size vs age/maturity. Female ball pythons have been bred as small as 1000g and as young as 18MO. While many breeders will vary from 1200g to 1500g to start their breeding regardless of age, some prefer to see a little more meat and more important to them, age on their girls. While I will breed a 18-24MO 1500g female just like anyone else, if I feel they are ready and willing, I actually prefer to wait for their 3rd year and breed them anywhere between 1500-2000g, 1800-2000g even better. Not saying anyone is wrong or right, there are just different ways of doing things and opinions. I prefer to air on the side of maturity and more size vs just “they can breed at X weight”. Many breeders dread when their balls stop feeding at 1200-1300g and stress themselves to death over their snakes not feeding, or losing a year. I can assure you, the snake does not stress one bit by skipping 2-3-6MO of food and is in no way in any danger. The stress you as the keeper/breeder feel is all self imposed..lol

If you go into breeding snakes and think in terms of years vs months and grams, you will enjoy this a whole lot more. If you go into this already thinking in your mind that your females will not breed until 3yrs vs 18MO and 1500g, you will be able to relax and just enjoy your snakes a lot more. And guess what? This way if they are ready at 24MO, great! If not, you will not be stressed out and disappointed. Relax, enjoy your snakes….when they are ready, you will know it.

Here are a few of our Pied stock:

Here is our 2010 female, she is incredible!

Here is our 2009 female Clown.

Here is our Clown boy, just as stunning!

Can’t wait to make some Lessers and Pastels and other genes Het Clowns and lay the path to work on combo clowns!

Mystic X Pastel: Hoping this year to hit on a few Mystic combos to hold back and get to work on Super Mystic combos down the road!

Enchi X Lesser: Can’t wait to make a few Enchi Lessers to play with!

Ivory X BumbleBee: Gotta love the Bumble Bellies!

Plans change all the time for one reason or another, but here is what 2012 might look like as of November.

Pied X Pied
Ivory X Pied
Firefly X Pied
Pastel X Pied

Spider Het Albino X Albino
Spider Het Albino X Albino

Mystic X Mojave
Mystic X Mojave
Bumble Bee X Mojave
Super Vanilla X Mojave
Ivory X Mojave
Enchi X Mojave

Clown X Lesser
BumbleBee X Lesser
Super Vanilla X Lesser
Ivory X Lesser
Enchi X Lesser
Enchi/BumbleBee X Super Lesser

Clown X Pastel
Enchi X Pastel
Mystic X Pastel
Ivory X Pastel

Ivory X BumbleBee
Enchi X BumbleBee

Enchi/Ivory X ButterBee
Enchi/BumbleBee/Super Vanilla X PewterBee

Super Pastel X Pewter
Super Pastel/BumbleBee X Calico

LemonBlast X Spider
LemonBlast X Spider

Firefly X Firefly
Firefly X Super Fire

Clown X Clown
Pastel Lesser X Clown

Pastel Lesser X Pinstripe
BumbleBee X Pinstripe

I know I am probably missing 2-3 more, and also have about 9 Normal 2000-3500g girls I have no clue what to do with 2012. As you can see we’re hoping to plug the Yellow Belly, Enchi, Vanilla, Fire, and Mystic genes everywhere we can next year!